The present invention relates generally to novel devices and methods of use, and more specifically, to lubrication devices and methods of lubricating air brake slack adjusters for trucks and other large vehicles.
Each axle of a truck may be equipped with air brake slack adjusters for correcting/adjusting the clearance between brake shoes and drum at each wheel. When servicing brakes to correct the clearance an elevated locking collar surrounding an exterior adjusting head on one side of the slack adjuster must be depressed into the adjuster housing to release the adjusting head and connecting shaft which is keyed to the screw of a worm gear. The released head in the form of a hex nut and worm gear can then be driven to rotate a worm wheel to the extent needed to correct brake clearance.
Ordinarily, a socket type wrench and ratchet is used to manually depress the locking collar surrounding the adjusting head to make the appropriate adjustments. However, because slack adjusters are constantly exposed to road weather, including water, dirt, corrosive chemicals, etc., the locking collar mechanism becomes severely corroded/fouled after a period of service, and cannot be readily depressed in order to release and turn the hex nut for making brake adjustments. Thus, because of such fouled locking mechanisms the usual practice of vehicle service departments has been to install new replacement slack adjusters at considerable cost principally because there has not been an efficient means available for freeing-up their locking mechanisms.
With the use of force, a socket type wrench can in some instances be used to depress and thereby release a "frozen" locking collar. But, because of corrosion build-up and general lack of lubricant on the internal components of locking mechanisms, collars frequently remain depressed in their housing, and do not always return to their elevated locking position after clearance adjustments have been made. Under these circumstances, it has also been common practice of service departments to install new replacement slack adjusters at substantial cost because there has been no means available for lubricating the internal components of their locking mechanisms, which usually lack an appropriate grease fitting.
Accordingly, it would be highly desirable to have an efficient and economical means for packing grease and other lubricant materials into the internal spaces, crevices, voids and surfaces of air brake slack adjuster locking collar mechanisms not having effective lubricant fittings for purposes of freeing-up fouled mechanisms on in-service adjusters, as well as providing protective coatings on surfaces of new and in-service adjusters for preventing future fouling. Such a device would provide important economic advantages in substantially lowering vehicle maintenance costs by significantly reducing the frequency of slack adjuster replacement.